Tasting Gunpowder
by Kawaiibabe14
Summary: Romance,action,adventure,humor! Wolfwood loves Milly and Vash loves Meryl, but when something happens, they begin to regret never telling the girls how they truly feel, and now it may be to late. Chapter 10 posted! Xanga link in Bio.
1. Unexpected Visitors

Okay. I decided to make a trigun fic. The tri-section was lookin a lil shabby, not many people write. This is a NON YAOI PEOPLE NON YAOI! Vash isn't gay so I didn't make him gay in my fic. If you want to make him gay in YOUR fic by all means go ahead.  
  
"speech" 'thoughts' yeah.  
  
Disclaimer: if I owned Vash I would be writing this fic. I would be up in my room. With Vash. Need I continue? XD  
  
Random Vash thoughts of the day:  
  
Wtf are they doing walking around in the desert with long red leather coats and black suites?!?! Really now.  
  
So does Meryl go and pick up all the derringers she drops after the fight or what?  
  
Ok that's all ill give out for now I got more im just to lazy to type it all in.  
  
Here be the awaited chapter.  
  
Meryl tried to close out the loud noises coming from every saloon in the town. There was a great celebration today with lost child was returned unharmed, with a little help from Vash, Milly, Meryl and Wolfwood. Well....with a lot. She was never the type to drink much; she actually got drunk too easily and would get too much of a hangover to celebrate every time they helped out a town. She retired to their complimentary room and a local inn. A nice bath and a shower, and she lay on her bed, sloppily wrapped in a towel.  
  
'People here are awfully generous...' she thought. After they brought home the kid, a man offered to fix some of her derringers. She put her 10 most damaged guns into one leather strap and unhooked it from her cloak, and he said he'd have them ready by next afternoon. They got great rooms at the inn above a saloon, with two beds and a nice big bathroom, not to mention all the free drinks from the bar. Milly, Wolfwood and Vash were taking advantage of that offer, sampling new drinks and downing old favorites.  
  
A loud cheer came from the saloon below the inn, making Meryl's temples throb even harder.  
  
At the saloon below   
  
"GO GO GO GO GO YEAAAH!" the drunks chanted as a man finished off his 16th shot of tequila. Milly was sitting at the bar drinking as Wolfwood hooked his arm around her neck and dragged her off the chair, proceeding to twirl her around and dance and laugh. Milly screamed in delight like a little schoolgirl and they both fell to the floor.  
  
"whered we go?"  
  
"ahhiooono"  
  
Vash looked over and snorted. He grabbed a random drink off a table, walked over, and poured it on both their heads.  
  
"look mr priest its RAINING!"  
  
Vash, who was still slightly sober, laughed as he almost drowned Wolfwood in the maroon liquid. A girl walked by and Vash followed, trying to flirt with her.  
  
"what a letch" said Wolfwood as he wiped of his face.  
  
"whuuu.... I feel tipsy..." said Milly as she tried to stand. Her attempts failed as she began to fall, only to be caught in the muscular arms of a certain priest. She looked up and smiled.  
  
"come on, ill help you."  
  
back at the inn   
  
Meryl rolled over. There was absolutely no possibility of sleep tonight. She was drowsy, but she still did want to be awake when Milly got back, no doubt she would do something stupid. Meryl chuckled as she remembered when she got herself stuck on the hook on the door for coats, and fell asleep hanging by her sleeve. When Vash and Wolfwood came in the next morning, they laughed their asses off till she woke up.  
  
She rolled over again to look out the window. She looked at the fifth moon.  
  
'I wonder what it must feel like to be reminded of your past every night.'  
  
Her thought stopped as she heard foot steps coming up the stairs to the room area of the building. Meryl thought about getting up and making sure Milly got in the right room, but she felt to lazy.  
  
'she'll find the right room eventually...'  
  
but the footsteps stopped outside her door and she heard the creaking. Well.... maybe she wasn't that drunk after all.  
  
"heyy Milly... how was it?" she said as she rolled over to face her friend.  
  
But her eyes did not find Milly. There, standing in her doorway, with her barely covered in a white towel, was none other than Vash the Stampede.  
  
Mmmmmm kay. Well there is the first chapter, im gunna try to update this sucker nightly... maybe ill get a review...hint hint cough cough. Sorry it was so short, ill write more in the next chapters.  
  
Ja Ne! 


	2. A Little Sake

WOW! I GOT REVIEWS! WOW! Kay, 'specially for Black Betty, Railynn, Ryoko blue, angelarms and zeitgeist28, im gunna make my chapter two! This one ill update often, unlike my others, in which iv kinda lost my interest in the series but I love it nonetheless. But trigun is my new fav, im ordering the series because I missed the episode with Dominique the Cyclops.  
  
..........  
  
Yes, my name is Dominique too. Its kinda cool hearing Vash say your name! and regards to last nights episode, I sure am happy I got to see vashes butt. Sure am happy!   
  
Heyy everyone remember that episode where Milly was drunk... err... At least one of the episodes? Well yeah they wake up In the morning with no hangover and no shame of the previous errm... encounters...! At least, I guess Milly and Wolfwood don't have much problem handling their liquor, but Vash... yeah. He was like woo OWOWwooo... iv never seen Meryl drunk yet tho. So im wingin it.  
  
I just won an auction on eBay, all the episodes of trigun on DVD, 25 double dollars, and that's including shipping and handling and shipping insurance. Wouldn't want my vashie getting lost in the mail. Heh. Well I think I got meeself a deal!  
  
Disclaimer: yes I own him now! I snuck him its my secret! What? That's only a cardboard prop? O well... go away now im gunna do things to it! XD ok really I don't own him for all you anal people that will report me when I kid... that was not fun. I got banned for a little bit.  
  
Ok on to the story you're all tired of hearing me flap my gums! O yes and ps: no pouncing on Meryl...yet.  
  
"VA....VASH?!?!?!"  
  
He quickly turned around and Meryl scrambled for the sheets and tried to cover herself more.  
  
"S...sorry, I thought you were Milly..." said Meryl blushing like a tomato.  
  
"No...its my fault..." Meryl was surprised he didn't say anything perverted.  
  
"Ok..." she said.  
  
Vash turned around and held up a glass.  
  
"I uhh... brought you a drink...dont worry its not too bad." He knew Meryl wouldn't drink anything that would hammer her.  
  
"Oh...wow thanks" she took the glass. It smelled bitter, but she warily took a sip.  
  
"It's low proof tequila with some strawberry juice." He said with a grin.  
  
"How low..." she eyed him.  
  
"Oh my it's nothing high like that I wouldn't get you drunk, why would I wanna do that?" Meryl looked at him like she wanted to bite his head off.  
  
'Low proof my ass...' she thought, but the pink drink was irresistible and she took another sip.  
  
"So... uhh... I don't think you left the party just to bring me a drink... what's wrong?" Meryl wondered.  
  
"Well...."  
  
back at the bar   
  
Wolfwood helped Milly stand again, and they headed over to the bar and ordered some drinks. Wolfwood hurriedly drank his and got a refill. Milly drank hers slow and waited for Wolfwood to finish.  
  
"lLets dance!" she cried randomly. Before Wolfwood could utter a word of protest, Milly was pulling him by his shirt into the center of the drunk mob. The danced and laughed and drank with everyone else like there was no care in the world, with no regard toward time, safety, and their egos.  
  
Wolfwood was jumping up and down while Milly burst into song. By now no one could really understand what she was saying. Some guy with long hair reached over to grab her butt, but she moved, and he fell flat on his face. No matter, he made the best of the situation and looked up her dress.  
  
Wolfwood came over and stepped on his neck.  
  
"Enjoying the sights?" he asked gruffly.  
  
"Haa hellla yeah!" he said still peeping.  
  
At this response Wolfwood stepped down a little harder.  
  
"I think it best you leave her alone." By now this low life's eyeballs were popping out, so he mumbled a yes and scrambled out from under Wolfwood's shoe. He looked over; it seemed that Milly hadn't noticed the scene. He never saw her drink this much before, but then again, he was having a good time.  
  
Meryl's room   
  
Vash but his hand on the back of his neck, craning for words. Meryl leaned forward, physically saying "well" "I guess I wanted to tell you this when I wasn't exactly sober..."  
  
Meryl leaned back. This was going to take awhile. She patted the bedside and Vash sat down.  
  
She then became embarrassed of her actions, but no stopping him now. it seemed like a eternity to Vash before he found the right words without saying the wrong things.  
  
"Well... you see... im Vash." Meryl lifted and eyebrow.  
  
"Im the humanoid typhoon, im that possessed gunman and that evil gunslinger with no regard toward human lives of emotion. But im not. Im not any of those things, yet people still chase me and shoot at me and I have a huge gang out there that wishes to harm me. And well... they know they can't hurt me physically."  
  
Meryl regarded his speech with sadness. He looked like he needed a hug.  
  
"See... they want to make me suffer, and if they can't go after my body thell go after my heart. And well... umm... im scared now. Because they know that you and Milly and Wolfwood are close to me, like my family. They'll go after you to get at me, and I want to stop that before it happens."  
  
Vash sat on the edge of the bed again, finally at a loss for words. The tears welled up in Vash's eyes, so he squeezed them shut and turned away.  
  
"Vash... we want to stay with you... we made that choice a long time ago and we don't care what happens. Remember? Were like family. You said it yourself. You cant get rid of us, you know that. Heh not even Vash the stampede can get rid of us..." she sad the last line on a wink.  
  
Vash went full chibi mode and quickly glomped a surprised Meryl. Meryl was a little frazzled, but she hugged him back. He was crying freely now, but they had a new understanding. Vash stayed up with Meryl and they talked till early in the morning, he made sure she knew every aspect of her situation, all the dangers, but Meryl didn't mind. She was enjoying what little alone time she spent with Vash, as odd as it sounded, because she always got annoyed with him and acted like he was a nuisance that must be dealt with.  
  
She knew now he was very deep, and she couldn't help but feel that she liked him.  
  
meanwhile at the bar   
  
Milly twirled and danced and every so often grabbed Wolfwood again to dance with. They sat back down, Wolfwood was getting tired. He was holding cross punisher just so he could stand straight. He watched the bartender fly all over the room as she asked him if he wanted another drink. Of coarse she was right in front of him.  
  
"Oh one for me!" Milly chanted.  
  
"umm...heyy big girl don't you think you hadda nuff'? Wolfwood looked over caringly as she stared at him blankly.  
  
"Guess not. I wonder if I should go back now, I guess I can leave her to fend off the perverts...'  
  
"Heyy uh... im going to bed... u coming?" Milly downed the drink and nodded.  
  
"A little later... this is too much fun whuu!" she spun on her bar stool and laughed. Wolfwood smiled over at her before he got up and climbed the stairs to the above inn.  
  
He found his room, Vash was no where to be found, so he decided that he snoozes, he looses, and took the blanket of Vash's bed. It was freezing out, even with all that alcohol in his system. He laid cross punisher against the wall near the window and fell asleep under the two blankets.  
  
STILL at the bar   
  
Milly drank and danced with random people, until the clock said 4:06.  
  
"Oh no! iv gotta sleep! Ill die!" people looked at her strangely. She dashed up the stairs and groped her way down the hallway. She squinted at the tiny numbers on the doors. 32...33...34...35... where was it? Aha 42. she opened the door and saw darkness.  
  
'Bed...where's my bed...' there it was. She plopped down on it, not even bothering with the blanket as she fell into a deep sleep.  
  
Meryl's room   
  
it was around five, and Meryl and Vash were just about done. He got up to leave, then turned around and gave her a hug and a genuine smile.  
  
"Thanks Meryl" Meryl blushed and watched Vash walk out the door.  
  
She laid down and was about to go to sleep, when Vash burst in again and said:  
  
"Whoa look Meryl! Check this one out!"  
  
okay! Well as you can see I do most of my blabbering at the front. I gots plans for this here story I tell ya...plans.... Sorry if this chapter was a lil rough around the edges... im just kinda going along with my impulse and Ideas... so be afraid. No kidding. holds out plate May I please have some more reviews please? When I got mine before I ran thru the house jumping up and down. No lie. Well! Im off to bed and stuff! Ill be posting these chapters hopefully every day at around 3, so yeah! And don't forget! review!  
  
Ja ne!  
  
Dream of love peace and donuts everyone! 


	3. Good Morning, Milly

WELCOME! Im glad my story is doing so well, this is the most feedback that I ever got on a story. I like it when people are like me, they review on every chapter even if theres another one up. Like I read this one, 26 chapters, I reviewed every chapter and im sure that author was happy lol.  
  
Random trigun factoid thingies. (still no good name yet): does Wolfwood spend his entire savings on cigarettes? Really, he put off fixing his wonderful Angelina II to go buy a pack of cancer sticks. It's a good thing hes a priest, cuz hes gunna die real early if he keeps up this act.  
  
How does vashes boot knife go back in? just a thing to ponder about...  
  
Disclaimer: some one intervene I have a problem admitting I don't own trigun! No really I don't. sp?  
  
On to the chapter!  
  
"Whoa look Meryl! Check this one out!"  
  
Meryl hopped out of bed, trying to run over, stumbling around thanks to that delicious drink. Vash ran back to her room, grabbed her arm, and dragged her down the hallway. He was running towards his and Wolfwood's room.  
  
"what the.... Vash where are you taking me?" Meryl tried to concentrate on the hallway, which was twisting in her vision.  
  
They reached the room fast, Meryl stumbled In the doorway and gasped.  
  
"Oh...my...gosh...."  
  
there, in the bed on the right, lay Milly and Wolfwood, with Millys back snuggled to the priests chest, and surprisingly, Wolfwood had his arm around her waist. Their surprised and shocked faces soon twisted into laughter as they leaned on the walls to keep themselves up.  
  
Milly's point of view (POV)  
  
Pain. Pain in the head. Warm. Pain.  
  
Things slowly started to register in her head, recalling accounts of the party last night. She remembered Wolfwood there. She opened her eyes. Vash and Meryl were there laughing. She was lying on a bed.  
  
Ok, what else. Warm. She was comfortable. Things were blurry. She felt a wall behind her. A wall?!?! She turned her head slightly, and there was Wolfwood staring down at her. With his hand. Around her waist. In his bed.  
  
'Ohh....My....God....'  
  
"Mr. Priest?!?!" Wolfwood smiled, then blushed a little and removed his hand quickly. Vash and Meryl were on the floor laughing, clutching their sides. (Their own sides mind you. Lol) Milly stood up and tried to get out of there. She was so embarrassed. Her face was red and she couldn't walk at all. She took of, making it through the door, and ran down the hallway.  
  
Wolfwood looked a little mad at them.  
  
"look what happened now." he was looking very annoyed and he jumped up and ran down the hall. Vash and Meryl stopped.  
  
"poor Milly..." they peeked out and saw Wolfwood running after her, she wouldn't make it very far anyway. She had a lot last night. He caught her as she fell and helped her walk, and they craned their ears to see what they were saying, but to no avail.  
  
Meryl left to go get dressed, she was in a towel.  
  
Vash was the first one down at the bar for breakfast that day, even though it was around 8. Meryl came down in time to see Vash sprinkling a tiny amount of gunpowder on his donut.  
  
"umm... what are you doing Vash?" he looked up.  
  
"Awh well, its gunpowder." He said smiling.  
  
"I can see that. Why is it on your donut?" Vash puffed up.  
  
"Well, and old man once told me it was good for you!" he said. Meryl sighed, but reached for a little and sprinkled it on her donut.  
  
Milly came down the stairs, wearing the usual. Someone must have given her something for her head, because she wasn't as bad as before. She looked over at them confusingly.  
  
"Meryl what's with the gunpowder?" before Vash could respond, Meryl butted in.  
  
"Well Milly, and old man once told me it was good for you." Vash fell of his chair.  
  
"Heyy now that wasn't very nice..." he said with his finger sticking up in the air. Meryl smiled inwardly at her slyness.  
  
Wolfwood came down a little later, his hair soaked and his body still slightly damp. He was only wearing his white shirt underneath and he draped the top of his suit on his chair and sat down in front of the diminishing pile of donuts.  
  
Milly blushed. He helped her to her room and had given her some medicines for her head, and Milly couldn't help but wonder if Wolfwood liked her.  
  
Vash and Meryl presented Wolfwood with a pack of his favorite smokes, and he silently forgave them, hoping to keep Milly clueless. Even his memory was a little fuzzy that night, but he knew he needed to get Vash for dumping beer on his face.  
  
The meal was uneventful, and afterward Wolfwood went out to work on Angelina II. Vash decided to stretch out on the porch in front and watch Wolfwood. Milly walked over and sat down, talking to him again. He again tried to listen.  
  
Meryl walked out of the door and sat next to Vash.  
  
"what do you make of it insurance girl?" Vash caught Meryl by surprise.  
  
"I...um...well... I dunno. What happened last night before you came up?" Vash appeared to be in deep thought.  
  
"Well....there was drinking...'I know that'... and dancing.... 'u huh' and they both went down...'what?!'" Meryl made comments as he went along.  
  
"yeah...they fell"  
  
"And what did you do?"  
  
"Poured my drink on em.... and Wolfwood helped her up... and I guess it all kinda escalated from there."  
  
"You poured your drink on them?" Meryl looked on, not so surprised.  
  
"Well...yeah... it was the obvious thing to do."  
  
"Ahh the world of alcohol. Where sprinkling a few friends with booze is a rational thought. Did you expect them to grow or something?" Vash blushed a little.  
  
"Well...ahhh...."  
  
"augh. Nevermind."  
  
They turned their attention back to the others, Milly now holding a wrench and a few other various tools, handing them to the biker bishie that was currently re attaching the carburetor.  
  
Millys POV  
  
Wolfwood finished his current job and wiped the sweat off his brow.  
  
"I guess while im out here I could fix the leak in the oil tank..." Milly smiled. He got down and went underneath the rusty old bike, periodically asking for tools that Milly was feverishly handing him.  
  
"Ahah! There's the problem. Could you hand me a wrench?" Milly scooped the wrench out of the small pile off the ground and handed it to him.  
  
"Thanks babe." He then worked on twisting something, but Milly wasn't paying attention to that. She was again blushing like a school girl. 'D...did he just call me...babe?' she didn't have much time to ponder over it, someone was laughing. She turned and saw Vash and Meryl on the floor laughing their faces off, and Vash was pointing. Where? At Wolfwood.  
  
She turned her attentions back to her secret crush and saw that the bike was dumping the dark liquid all over him.  
  
"OHMIGOSH! Mr. Priest are you ok?" she said as she pulled him out from under the bike. His eyes were squeezed shut.  
  
"Damnit it burns! Its stinging my eyes! Damn!" he opened his eyes enough, to see Milly flinch at his choice of words, but she helped him up and guided him over back towards the door.  
  
"We better was your eyes out Mr. Priest! Come one, follow me..."  
  
"Well now, that's not something you see every day."  
  
"Shut up Vash." Meryl walked in to check on Wolfwood, leaving Vash.  
  
"was it something I said?"  
  
kay guys sorry for the short chapter, you can either have nice long chapters every few days or a short one or 2 every day. Tell me in a review, cuz I think I would prefer a long one, but maybe that's just me.  
  
Well thank you to all who reviewed! iv been thinking about the trigun factoid section, I might just name it trigunometry, that's gunna be the name of my new website anyways... well please review I really enjoy reading your feedback!   
  
Ja ne! 


	4. Findings

TADAIMA! Well ill be writing and updating a lot this weekend, there's this little bitch on my computer called cyber patrol that BLOCKS FANFICTION.NET! auuuhg. Ok the time you ask? Well... before Wolfwood dies, and he didn't sleep sleep with her he just slept with her. See? No? ok... the didn't do the deed yet. Note the word yet. YET eheh. And Meryl and Vash too maybe lol ok so STILL friggin waiting on that dvd. I need it for screen shots.  
  
Disclaimer: if I owned trigun... I wouldn't be writing the sex scenes. I would be performing them. sorry guys im feelin a little hentai; I guess I should write the lemon to my other story.  
  
O yeah if u don't know what a lemon is, it means like adult stuff, like what makes many rabbits, yes, that.  
  
Also for sunfire, who was confused, Meryl was just layin around in a towel all night. And they talked, and they gotted huggled. jealous I want a huggle from Vash. . its based around before Wolfwood dies, so yeah, I don't think ill make him die in this fic.  
  
(Was informed Trigunometry was taken. Damn) In the first episode, Vash opens his gun up like a barrel loader. It really is a revolver, so he was supposed to open the revolving part to check for ammo.  
  
Who was kuronekos new friend? Lord Black cat doth taken a mate? Looked more like a brown sibling or child.  
  
Also found out how Vash can spin the barrel of his gun, he slightly cocks it. That allows the barrel to spin; the he releases the hammer, stopping the barrel, of course at the precise time to line the bullet up with the firing pin, making the shot. Hes such a show off. It took me hours to figure this one out.   
  
GUNG HO TO THE CHAPTER YO!  
  
Wolfwood adjusted his sunglasses to hide his now red eyes. Vash was sitting, swirling his drink around in the glass. Milly came back in with a fresh rag to help Wolfwood clean himself up, Meryl in tow.  
  
"Here ya go Mr. Priest!" she handed him the towel and he went to work drying his neck.  
  
Meryl plopped down next to Vash and rested her head in her hands. Two burly men walked in the door, and Vash visibly stiffened. Instead of picking a fight, they sat down and ordered a drink, talking about something going on in June city.  
  
The group just caught bits and pieces of it, but when the words 'children' 'prostitution' 'kidnappings' and 'beatings' were all brought up, Wolfwood jumped of off his barstool, and leaned toward the two men, grasping the Cross Punisher menacingly.  
  
"You boys wanna let me in on your little secrets?"  
  
"Well it's no secret partner. All the kiddies in June City are being 'napped and forced into prostitution and worse by some guy that goes by the name 'o Scythe. Says hes got clients and accomplices all over Gunsmoke, but nunaya ordinary law mans can catch him. Hell no, hes a tricky one. Once shot a woman for not meetin 'im in his hotel room, and successfully covered it up by framin the ole' son in law. By gaw, no one even knows what this slimy bastard looks like."  
  
"He...what!" Wolfwood looked a little more than deathly shocked.  
  
"yeah and I hear he gots no mercy. Kills em all I tells ya! He don care if tey ah old or newborns. Seen it all I tell ya, they swears he likes the taste o ya blood. 'ee licks it off his fingers! Damn crazy case if yas are askin me."  
  
"iv heard enough. Can you drunks tell me when the next sand steamer leaves for June?"  
  
"'Oly 'Ell yea 'ear dat peatey? This here guy wants to take his game all they way to June!"  
  
"Heyy now, don't forget us three." Vash spoke for his other two friends.  
  
"Looks like this here gangs serious. Weaaal, if ya want ta get on as soon as you can, looks like the next one passes by June leaves tammara morning."  
  
later that night  
  
In Vash and Wolfwood's room...  
  
Wolfwood sat at the edge of his bed, smoking another member of a never ending procession of cigarettes.  
  
"Damn horny slime balls, ill blast em, then God can decide what kind of eternal torture they are blessed to receive." Wolfwood slightly rocked back and forth.  
  
"Wolfwood..." Vash uttered a word of warning. Meryl and Milly sat with Vash on his bed, thinking about a way to beat this guy.  
  
"Sorry Vash, but Wolfwood is kinda...right..." Milly said in a serious tone. Meryl reached up to touch the pebble sized lump in her neck. All this stress was taking a toll on her body. The tension in her muscles matched that of the room they were seated in.  
  
"No doubt were getting on that steamer, but this man sounds ruthless and evil to the core. Were gunna need some kind of plan." Meryl spoke out what everyone already knew.  
  
"Oh no but Meryl, where are we gunna get the funds? I mean, it's near a week's long trip on a sand steamer, and even if we got low class rooms, we wouldn't make it! We have to figure something out quick! It leaves tomorrow morning!" Meryl smiled.  
  
"I have an idea..."  
  
(I was gunna stop here, but im bored and its 4:13 in the morning.)  
  
The next day....  
  
The group awoke with the sun, packing what little things they traveled with and headed down to the sand steamers station. After running around asking every soul in sight where the manager was, they finally cam upon and door, with black crooked letters on the window that read "Mr. Kresmier, Manager"  
  
Meryl knocked on the door, and a gruff old man answered.  
  
"Whadaya want kids?"  
  
"Um... well, im Meryl Strife, and these are my friends. you see, we need to get to June City, and umm... heh, we don't have enough money to pay the fees. We were wondering if you could give us all little part time jobs working on the steamer while we traveled? Me and my friend Milly are very hard workers, we wont disappoint you."  
  
"What about them two back there?" he briefly pointed at Vash and Nick. Milly answered.  
  
"Well... im sure you can find something for them to do that's not to complicated!"  
  
"Heyy what was that? O come on." Tiny protests came from the two men, but Mr. Kresmier chose to ignore them. He even chuckled a bit.  
  
"Heh, well... I guess I could find you guys something to do, and the openings I have that you could afford with a week and a halfs worth of money is one room in 4th class. Ill have the assistants move an extra bunk bed in there for you. Ill inform the guards, you guys take this slip with you." He handed them each a tiny yellow slip.  
  
"Thank you so much for your kindness sir!" And with that they took off running.  
  
"Well now that was a lucky break aye Meryl?" Milly smiled as they took off toward the ticket line.  
  
"Yeah, I just hope they don't work us too hard."  
  
On board the steamer  
  
They were lost. Again.  
  
"That's the last time we listen to needle noggin. Gimme that." Wolfwood snatched the map out of Vash's hands and studied it.  
  
"Well, if were room 4 2b, then we need to... um... go down two more flights of stairs, and it will probably be on our right. No left. Wait, right." They followed Wolfwood's instructions and came to the 4th class hallway.  
  
"Wow Mr. priest you were right!" they wandered down the ever longer hall for what seemed like hours,, when the heard a tiny yell of victory as Meryl found the right door. They assembled in front of it, and Meryl stuck her hand out.  
  
"Um Vash? The keys?"  
  
"Oh! Yeah right." He grabbed them and handed them to Meryl, who opened the door. It swung open and they just stood there. It smelled musty and there was only one tiny light. Two rickety old metal bunk beds were in opposite corners of the room, against a wall that was adorned with scratches and chipped paint. There was a tiny bathroom, with a old shower/bath, toilet and sink. They found 4 thin and worn blankets folded in the corner, along with flat, lumpy pillows.  
  
They all sighed.  
  
'ill deal with it for those kids.' Thought Wolfwood. 'Might as well make the best of it' thought Vash' he yelled and ran over to the corner. He leaped up onto the top bunk, which squeaked in protest, as he bounced around on it.  
  
"I CALL TOP BUNK!" everyone sighed. This was so like him.  
  
Kay sorry guys, im working on chapter five as we speak. Sorry if it was choppy black Betty, I hope the next few will make up for it, im not a great writer or anything, I actually didn't plan on writing chapter 2 till I actually got reviews. They motivate me. Every review I get I usually write a page. O and hello to a new reviewer, WolfwoodLover. Thanx for your time. If the people are kinda out of character tell me, cuz im tring to keep this as much like the series as possible till later. When "certain things" happen. Ee hee hee. O yes and sorry if I spend so much time yammering up top at the beginning of the chapter, ya know how it is. I think. Yeah. O yes, and those two guys in the bar, they got accents and they talk weird. There is no spelling mistake in this chapter. Or any in this story I don't thing. That's how they talk, sound it out. Well im done now! Byes! O yes and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! 


	5. The Trip

Welcome back. I cant believe im still writing this XD. As for the spelling mistakes in the last chapter the comment applied to the two guys talking. Yes Kagome chan the lemon is coming soon.(did you follow me to the trigun section or were yas just looking around XD) Heh. I think... or I could just put a lemon up in my other story to tide you over a bit? XD don't worry, be hentai. That's my motto, everyone calls me the hentai! Its ok to be hentai, and then I want you all to review on my lemons to tell me if they are ok. Reviews are scarce now, awe well.  
  
No little trigun fact things today, gomen ne. to lazy. Instead, a new section. You know you're a fan of trigun when...  
  
You know all the directors and producers in the order that their displayed in the opening theme H.T.  
  
You buy the official sunglasses, even though they look like normal glasses you can buy at the store, the case says trigun. So you must have them.  
  
You make a puppet party with all the plushies you bought of them, and put on a show for your siblings, till they complain that they've been there for days and need to eat.  
  
Disclaimer: No Ownie Vahie sama!  
  
Where were we....  
  
The group was working their buts of for this tiny low class room, they should have gotten a 2nd class room for all the labor they were doing, and they still had to but their own meals. Milly and Meryl worked as housekeeping for the guest on 1st class floors, doing laundry and cleaning. Vash and Nick were given odd jobs, like fixing pipes and computers, and they soon donned the job of side cooks in the tiny café.  
  
Meryl returned to the room, exhausted. She walked in to find Vash, or at least his libs hanging down from the top bunk. She walked over and pokes his leg. No response. 'o well' she thought, so she walked over to her bed nd read the dimestore novel she picked up before they got on the steamer.  
  
But she couldn't concentrate. All she could think about was the tiny children being beaten and used, how helpless they must feel. I tiny stream of tears escaped the confines of her eye and slithered along her cheek. She tried to stop. She pulled the book up to block her face when she found that resistance was futile.  
  
Vash walked over to her and lowered the book from her face with his index finger.  
  
"Meryl you ok?" she put on her best fake smile and laughed a bit for emhasis.  
  
"yeah Vash, im fine. Im gunna go take a shower."  
  
"kay."  
  
Meryl couldn't help but smile on her way over the the bathroom. He was too cute. And caring. She stopped herself before she thought anything else.  
  
She came out of the shower in her t shirt, the bottom going to her mid thigh and the sleeves way to long for her. She figured Vash must be gone, probably out with Milly and Nick. She came back to find the rest of the group in the room, along with a few kids they decided to bring to the room to play with.  
  
Meryl stood in the doorway. They all saw her in her pajamas. She blushed and looked away from Vash, and decided to divert her attention to the 3 kids sitting on the floor playing a game with Wolfwood.  
  
"hey come one, play with us!"  
  
"yeah preease! We wants you tra pwray with us!"  
  
"it can be your turn first! Its fun!"  
  
the cries from the kids on the floor won her over, so she sat down, minding her shirt, and asked what the game was about.  
  
"weal, ya gotta take this little bal, and the person across from you holds their fingers in a circle like this." She proudly held her fingers in a ring and showed Meryl. "then you gotta throw it in. and if you make it you get to go again. I did it three whole times once! But the record is four. So will you play?" Meryl nodded. She took the small multi color ball from the girl, and looked across from her. Wolfwood grinned.  
  
"no one can beat me. Im the one with the record." 'well see about that.' Meryl thought. She promptly tossed the ball, trying to hide a smile as it came in contact with his nose.  
  
"heyy what was that for!"  
  
"did I win?" asked Meryl in fake confusion.  
  
"haha no silly you missed!"  
  
"well my aim always was a little off," the kids laughed and Wolfwood rubbed his face. Milly walked over and chuckled.  
  
"don't worry Meryl I did the same thing!"  
  
the kids stayed for a little while longer, then Milly and Wolfwood walked them back to their rooms. By the time they came back, Vash was already asleep. It had been 5 days, only six more days to go before they reached June.  
  
Vash hopped up to his bunk.  
  
"Aha ha im pooped! I could sleep for a year!" Wolfwood lit up a cigarette.  
  
"then go ahead needle noggin, no one will miss you." Vash hung upside down and looked at Wolfwood.  
  
"ya know one day your gunna get lung cancer from smoking all those things, what will happen then?" Wolfwood looked at him like he was an idiot. Ok, he already Is a idiot.  
  
"ill die. Big whoop." Vash squeezed his eyes.  
  
"Then what will happen to Milly and all your kids?" he said antagonizing Wolfwood as he pointed towards her. Milly looked over at the mention of her name. Wolfwood grinned.  
  
"Then she would have to take care of the sextuplets on her own." Milly went into a fit of giggles and went back to work writing to her family. Meryl smiled and rolled here eyes. She pretended to be fascinated with her novel as Wolfwood whispered to Vash about Meryl. She saw Vash blush out of the corner of her eye and she quickly turned her head when Vash decided to sneak a look too.  
  
"well guys im going to bed. You should too Milly its laundry day again."  
  
"Awh man...." Milly clambered out of her bed, grabbed a clean sheet, and climbed back up. With a huff she rolled over and closed her eyes. Meryl did the same, getting ready to turn off the lights.  
  
"you guys ever gunna go to sleep? Geeze..." she flicked off the light.  
  
"HEYY WHERES MY NIGHT LIGHT IM SCARED!" Vash yelled.  
  
"NAW VASH GET OUTTA MY BED!" nicks voice pierced the night, along with a kick and a thud.  
  
the next day  
  
Meryl awoke to the hum of the steamer. She sat up, entangled in the sheet. Everyone was gone. She grumbled as she untangled herself and put on her clothes and apron. She was heading out the door when she saw a note stuck to the wall.  
  
'Dear Meryl. We got a day off today. Were most likely at the café getting drunk. Please come join. Love, Vash Milly and Wolfwood.'  
  
'Well...alright' she thought. She slipped out of the apron and bounded up the stairs to meet her friends.  
  
the last day  
  
'Wake up shorty.... come one...' 'Hey let me try, Meryl look it's a kitty!' 'You did it wrong here try this, DONUTS!' Meryl awoke with Vash's face hovering right above hers, that ever present goofy smile smeared on his face.  
  
"I win I win!" he grabbed Meryl and set her on the floor. Everyone was eating and getting ready. They were all ready, even thought there were still a few more hours to go before they actually unboarded. The air was clouded by a haze of smoke, making Milly cough. Wolfwood apologetically put out his millionth cigarette.  
  
They sat for what seemed like days until the steamer lurched to a stop, and they didn't even wait for the bell, they were already at the dock.  
  
It was warm in June, and they walked through, observing all the actions. 5 year old kids had tiny revolvers in holsters around their belt, and knives sheathed in their shoes. Teenage girls walked around carrying larger guns at the ready, fingers on the trigger. The town was stiff.  
  
Vash walked up to a older man.  
  
"Well if it isn't Vash the stampede." Vash blanched.  
  
"You know who I am?"  
  
"yessum and don't care. We got enough fighting going on already. We won't shoot if you wont, it hardly be worth the 60 million if we had to lose another life." Vash turned to the others.  
  
"I guess we have to go rumor hunting..." they split up. They all came back, searching the saloons and inns, of coarse stopping and having a few drinks here and there. Rumor had it that Scythe had struck just a few days ago, taking a 14 year old girl. He primarily was spotted in the west side of town, so they went to go find a inn there.  
  
They stayed for a few days, trying to trace Scythe. People had heard about what they were trying to do, and when they passed some of the older people down the roads, they stopped and prayed.  
  
This unnerved them a little bit, but that wasn't going to stop them. They had stakeouts every night, going in pairs. It had been about a month since their arrival, and they gathered more information. He was a great gunman, along with his henchmen, he was about 6 feet tall, black hair, and usually wore a suit.  
  
The next night  
  
Meryl and Vash had finished their shift during the watch. They walked around the west part of town, finding nothing, never the less they were very discouraged. Milly and Wolfwood just got on, snatching up a few flashlights and their weapons, leaving Meryl and Vash to sleep. Each time they went they would take the pen that went to Vash's earring so they had some way of contacting him.  
  
Milly yawned and leaned against Wolfwood's arm. He smiled down at her. Wolfwood heard a crash. He walked over, standing ever so slightly in front of Milly. He silently popped out a gun from cross punisher, and stood against the corner. There it was again. Wolfwood quickly jumped the corner and aimed his gun.  
  
Kays guys im sleepy now. Thank you everyone I love reading my reviews! O yes, new story. It's a drabble collection actually. Only one there so far but ill put up more don't worry. I also have another trigun story, usual pairings apply. No yaoi, it's just something that popped into my mind. Chapter one pending. Well read and review please! Thank you! 


	6. Captured

Heyy im so so so so so so so so soooo sorry I havent updated! Well its been kinda hectic lately, and Im kinda having some relationship troubles, so yeah. Lemons are coming soon, don't worry. I don't know how explicit, because of ff net standards and crap, so I might post up a url for media miner or something. Big news guys, iv got my sequel idea! o trying to hold back from writing it, I know I gotta finish this story first lol.  
  
Wolfwood wrapped himself around the corner aiming his gun at...Kuro neko. The black cat let out a plaintive 'naw', and Wolfwood kicked the garbage can serving as kuro's perch. The cat jumped up at Wolfwood's face in a black blur and clung to him for dear life.  
  
"ACK damn cat! Get off get off get OFF!" Wolfwood's screeching could be heard throughout half the city of June. He swatted the cat off his face and traced himself for scratches. Milly came over and looked up at him, looking slightly scared.  
  
"I, I saw, something.... and heard it too! It was over there, please hurry, im scared!" Wolfwood looked down at her concerned face.  
  
"awh its ok, you must have seen a stray dog, and how could you really have heard anything over my cries anyways?" he chuckled at his own comment as if it was a secret joke and turned away to go pick up his forgotten cross punisher.  
  
Milly ran over to him and shook him, her voice more persistent.  
  
"I KNOW what I saw, and it was a man! Please you have to-"  
  
She was cut off as a muffled scream pierced the placid night. Wolfwood and Milly took off blindly toward the noise, Wolfwood screaming something into the pen as he went. Milly felt detached and scared. It felt as if they would never reach their destination, and soon after Vash and Meryl joined them.  
  
They group skidded around the corner, arsenal loaded and waiting.  
  
A tall man had a young girl by the throat in the crook of his arm, and her lost revolver was laying a few yards away. She kicked and screamed despite the gag in her mouth. Scythe was holding her, trying to hand her to a few henchmen to get her up into a truck.  
  
Meryl cried out, she recognized the girl. She recalled when she helped her baby sit a set of twins. They went wild and crazy so they resorted to squirting them with water and locking them in a closet.  
  
Needless to say they were never called over to baby sit again. The men pulled her most of the way into the truck before they realized they were spotted, so they dropped the girl and pulled out their guns. More men came out of the truck and held large machine guns, pistols, shot guns, and every other kind of gun imaginable.  
  
"Don't move or we shoot the chick." Said Scythe as he picked up the girl and held his gun to her neck. They saw why he was called Scythe. In place of his right hand was a long curved knife, almost like a farmers sickle.  
  
He turned and yelled something to a group of large men in the back of the horde of men, and they came forth. Approaching the now quivering gang, Milly fell to her knees in fear. Nick and Vash tried to block the men, but they were knocked aside by the muscular thugs. Orders were shouted at them not to move or they will shoot, and with Milly and Meryl in the gunline, they were powerless.  
  
The truck drove away as Nick and Vash sat trembling in disbelief. They wordlessly got up and ran as fast as they could; keeping a distance from the truck so that Scythe would not spot them.  
  
Milly cried out to Nick before she was shoved down. She hit her head on the truck bed and someone kneeled on her back to bind her hands. Meryl was not having a good time either. At the other corner of the back of the huge truck, Meryl was already tied. Men were touching her and saying things to her. She tried to scream but all she could do was cry. It seemed like they rode for hours before they reached a destination. They were blindfolded and taken out of the truck.  
  
The place smelled musty and old, like a basement. The three quivering girls walked at gunpoint down a long hallway. Meryl heard Milly's sobs and the whimpering of a few other girls along with them. She kept her tears silent as she walked the endless walkway. It seemed like hours on end before they stopped. They were all put into one small cell looking area, and were told that these were temporary arrangements; because the boss needed to "look them over" before he decided if they were good enough too keep for "his prized collection".  
  
Vash and Nick awoke on the sand out in the middle of a desert. They ran till they had passed out. The sun beat down on them, and they could see nothing but sand all around them.  
  
"Damnit!" screamed Vash as he kicked at the sand and beat up an imaginary person. Wolfwood tried to calm him but Vash pulled away, he was too strong.  
  
"Don't you see Wolfwood?!?! We lost them! We lost the truck! Only god knows what those horrible men are doing to them right now!" he continued to curse and yell, leaving Wolfwood to sit and silently cry.  
  
After Vash calmed down, Wolfwood got up and began to walk away.  
  
"Heyy! Where are you going?!?! Don't go all lone priest boy on me!" Wolfwood slowly turned around and glared at Vash.  
  
"Im going to save Milly. I don't know about you, but I care about her, and if you just wanna sit in the desert and whine about it, then be my guest, needle noggin!" Vash's face softened, and he got up and walked with Wolfwood.  
  
"Ya know Nick, that's the kind of temper tantrum I would expect outta you!"  
  
punch  
  
"owwheyy!"  
  
Milly and Meryl reunited and crawled into each others arms. They cried themselves to sleep until they heard someone opening the large metal door. All the girls were taken out of the cell and walked down a dimly lit passage way. They stopped in front of a large door and one of the escorting men whispered something into the intercom.  
  
The door opened noisily and it was a big change from the hallway. There was a cheap off white carpet laid over most of the floor, with a desk and brighter lights. Meryl, Milly, and about 8 other girls were lined up in front of the desk and told to strip down. Meryl held her emotions in, Milly silently cried, and another girl refused, and that only earned her a beating from one of the men. Milly cried out as she was hit repeatedly until she obliged to their commands.  
  
They quivered as they were inspected and looked over. The mans face didn't change until his eyes laid on Milly, then he slightly smiled a bit, but other than that there was no way to tell what he thought of them. They were ordered to move into one of the side rooms, leaving their clothes. They were lead through a door, which contained one large room with many doors lining it. There were objects and cages and tables that unnerved them, the didn't know what their intended use was, nor did they wish to find out. All but a few of the girls were placed into the tiny rooms. Meryl was right next to Milly. A blond girl on her right was resisting the entrance to the room on Meryl's other side, till they forced her in and shut the door.  
  
Meryl turned around and peered into the darkness. She found a light cord and tugged on it, the light casting an even eerier shadow then the pure darkness. The room was about 5x5 with a mattress covering most of the floor to sleep on. There was a tiny sink and broken looking toilet in the corner, and a drain that connected her cell to the ones next to her.  
  
She reached her hand through the hole tat connected the drains and found Milly's hand. She squeezed it slightly and her sobbing somewhat subsided.  
  
"Don't worry, Mill', ill bet Vash and Nick are on their way right now, and we will be well out of this hell hole by night time." She whispered through the hole, and pulled her hand back. She was freezing cold, and the mattress made a bed of nails feel inviting. She walked over to the sink and tried to run some hot water. Both handles produced a tiny trickle of icy water. She didn't even want to think about what the toilet looked like.  
  
Up on the door there looked to be a tiny peep hole. She crawled over to look through it. She saw all the 'equipment' and a few men standing guard around the cells, talking on rough voices.  
  
Milly awoke from an exhaustion induced slumber to someone opening her door. She backed off to a dark corner to avoid the man, but he was just bringing her 'a bit o food for the service lassies.' He plopped down a tiny bowl on the mattress that covered the entire floor and left, locking the door. Milly crawled over and stuck her finger in. it was cold, almost like a grits consistency, and tasted like paint, but she tried to eat as much as she could.  
  
Meryl lost her appetite and poured hers down the drain when one of the guards yelled in a singsong voice,  
  
"You all are best to get your rest tonight; tomorrow could be a long day!"  
  
sorry such a short chapter! I AM ALIVE! Ill try to update more im soo soo soo so so so sooooo sorry! I like got reviews, then they stopped because I didn't update, then all of a sudden a got a whole bunch more again lol. THANK YOU TO ALL MY REVIEWERS! And no flames yet, wow. Well just letting you know the entire rest of the story Is planned out and some of the sequel, so, yeah. JA NE AND PLEASE REVIEW! 


	7. The Showing

Heres to another chapter clinks glasses with readers. Welcome back. For all those worried about them getting raped, don't worry, just go with the flow, everything will come together. Im trying to not give away the ending. This will prolly be a long chapter so grab your popcorn ladies and gents!

I recently found out my star and squiggles don't show up between to change the scenes, so im making a new one.

To whoever was wondering about Meryl surrendering her clothes: put yourself here. A bunch of dudes with huge guns pointed at you ask you to do something, you see what happened to someone who didn't, (gets the snot beat outta her). Watcha gunna do? ...... thought so. lol

UPDATE! MY TRIGUN DVDS ARE ON THE WAY! BOO YAAAH!! o I purposely didn't watch the last episode because I missed the Dominique the Cyclops one. You don't know how hard it was to sit and twiddle my thumbs when I knew the last episode was playing. So, iv never seen the ending is shamed DON'T TELL ME! When I get it im taking a day to watch the entire series. Entire. I CANT WAIT!!! Jumps up and down with fireworks

Disclaimer: I Don't own him, hes borrowed. And never to be returned. evil grin

WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS LIME CONTENT! I warned you.

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Meryl and Milly cried themselves to sleep that night, praying that Vash and Nick would show up and blow the hell out of scythe. They were bad thoughts, but no better than he deserved.

Milly prayed that night, taking up Wolfwood's habit when he was scared. She clambered up on the toilet when she saw a huge bug slither its way across the mattress. She whimpered nicks name and cried, afraid of 'tomorrow' and what will happen. Meryl drank a little from the sink, chilling her further, and she wished she had her clothes. She thought of her lost derringers inside her cloak. They both fell into a dark and dreamless sleep.

Wolfwood and Vash were royally sick of walking.

"And some noodles, and chicken! Oh and I wish I had those little chocolate things that we had back in old Oregon but dip donuts in them, and maybe some ice cream and fries, and-"

"Shut UP needle noggin! Im hungry enough without you rambling and yammering about what you wish you were eating!"

Vash reacted like a dog that got kicked and hunched over continuing to walk. Then he proceeded to hum sound life until Wolfwood was ready to puke.

"Im just, just.... trying to get my mind off of...other things." Vash explained. The other things were Milly and Meryl locked up in a shack somewhere with a bunch of perverts.

The girls slipped into a comatose sleep that night after the guards finally quieted down. They awoke several times to leaking pipes, creaking of random things in the basement like hell hole and crying of other children and women.

Early morning they awoke to guards scurrying about, moving heavy things and making preparations for what they called "the showing". The burly Irish man came around with the clay bowls and a small plastic glass of water.

"'er ya go, some eats for the wee lasses, dija sleep well?"

Meryl stared up into his green eyes and wondered whose side he was on. After getting no reaction out of her, he sighed heavily and closed the door. Upon closer inspection of the bowl, it was a very thick oatmeal looking substance, and it was warm. She snatched up the bowl and ate, it warmed her up and didn't taste bad at all.

The man opened the door to Milly's cell, abruptly waking her. She hadn't been able to stay asleep. She had woken nearly 10 times, some of them from nightmares of the horrible place she currently resided in, some of them from the eerie noises she heard in the middle of the night. She jumped ten feet as he entered, bearing the bowl, cup, and a toothy smile.

"ah hope your hungry lass, eis _**good**!_" Milly couldn't help but smile a little as the warm aroma of the bowl filled the damp closet. He closer the door and she crawled across the mattress over to the items. She hurriedly gulped down the fresh water, it tasted good. The water from the old sink looking like object hanging ransagged on the wall tasted bitter, old, and contaminated.

The middle room that connected all the cells seemed brighter today, guards were bustling about busying themselves with endless tasks. A different man came around with a basket, everyone's bra and underwear were in it. They were to be returned to them. Milly and Meryl quickly snatched their respective lingerie out of the hamper and slipped it on, thankful for the feeble amount of coverage. They were to wear them for the showing, the clients of Scythe weren't allowed to see them nude unless they bought them.

Next they were brought out one by one and inspected by what they assumed to be Scythes gynecologist. They were then cleared for dieses, and tagged by a color wrist band, blue meaning 'virgin' and red meaning 'already penetrated'. Milly and Meryl were both cleared and tagged with a pale blue band, then escorted back to their cells. They comforted each other through the drainage hole connecting all the cells, and prayed that their saviors would come before anything happened.

It had been about an hour before they saw the Irish man again. The door creaked open to Meryl's cell and he stepped in, holding out a rope.

"Ill have to have u stand up there lass so I can get this here piece of rope around your wrists. We dunt want any of you to fly the coup!"

He wholeheartedly laughed and Meryl slowly stood up. On wobbly, nervous legs she turned around and stuck out her hands. The rope was tied securely and she was lead out into the room that the cells branched off, and saw a long horizontal bar. Her roped was hooked to that with a carabineer that used a key. A few minuets later Milly joined her, scared and silently crying. Once all the other girls were tied, a henchman ran to tell Scythe. He looked them over and ordered someone to brush out their hair and to wash the dirt splotches off of some of them.

"Im starting them down the hallway now, ill only be ten minuets so get your acts together now."

Guards seemed to be crawling out of the cracks in the walls. They went around with rags and brushes and some with blemish concealer. They weren't to gentle when it came to brushing their hair, and Milly's long caramel locks were matted. She was finally done and Meryl got hers done, it didn't do much but put her hair in place. It was so short it didn't really tangle much.

When footsteps where heard coming down the halls, guards scattered and found their respectful places. Milly and Meryl shivered as the 'speech' being given by Scythe fell upon their ears.

"...Yes you can do that sir, You can rent them for a day or just completely buy them, but you must keep them securely locked up. The price? Depends on your choice, we negotiate that before the purchase. Ah, here we are..."

The large metal doors swung open revealing a crowd of about 20 men, being led by Scythe.

"Alright now, heres the show room, go ahead and have yourselves a look."

A lot of the crowd flocked to the younger girls of about 7 to 10. Meryl wished she could spit on them. A whimper broke her out of her thoughts as she looked over her shoulder to see Milly being checked over by a few men.

'_I hate the way those men are looking at me! At least we got our underwear and bra's back. Oh, I wish Nick was here...' _ Milly thought to herself as she tried to hide herself from view, only to find that her efforts were futile. The torture ensued for about an hour, and then Scythe called them over to write their names on magnets.

"If you are planning on buying one of these lovely ladies, put your name and top price on these magnets. If ya jus wanna spend a few hours, follow me to my office so I can schedule."

They were sent back to their rooms and the doors were shut. They could only catch whispers of what was going on outside.

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Wolfwood and Vash continued on their trek toward god-only-knew where. They only knew the general direction the bus went.

"Im so hungry, I could eat a Thomas!" Vash wailed as he dragged along.

"Well, Needle Noggin, I might just take you up on that offer when we get back. That's something I would want to see." Wolfwood mused as they trudged. The two suns beat down on them, making them want to melt into a pool of gunman-goo.

"Hey Wussat!?!?!" Vash pointed to a vehicle far off heading in the same direction. Wolfwood unlinked a clasp to his cross-punisher, sending off the chain reaction of the rest of them unclipping. (I still don't understand how he does that, but for the sake of him being so damn cool, ill just leave it.)

"GYAH! Hey no shooting! They didn't even-Oh....." Vash began to protest, but Wolfwood had only the intention of using the white cloth covering as a flag. So he waved and waved, and the car just drove. And drove. And didn't stop.

Vash and Wolfwood exchanged glances that said '_WE NEVER GET A BREAK!!!' _and ran for their lives toward the bus.

The driver heard a couple of clangs, but shrugged it off as nothing but a bump.

The two gunmen clung to the back of the bus and smirked.

--------------------------

Oh my god I am sooooo sorry this chapter SUCKED. But up next on the radar, after this ordeal, will be FLUFF! AND SOOO MUCH OF IT! I CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN! So, yea. Sorry if you don't like fluffness, I might throw in some questionable content to please all you pervs out there. Don't be ashamed, be proud. The new PP's! the Proud Perverts! Even the initials describe the group. So, now you go and press the shiny purple button that says GO! Well, what are you waiting for, GO! Tee hee....


	8. Unwanted Outcomes

**Welcome**. Bwah. I AM SOO SORRY CHAPTER 7 WAS SUCH A FLOP! I meant for it to be good. But intentions didn't help. Damn. Ok, I meant for it to be really long with a whole lotta major plot points, but, ya know. :'( im so sorry I disappointed you!! Its raining hard, so I decided to stop the threatening reviews by actually updating. Tada.

Ah yes and to Xx Dragon Wings xX: I know what Vash and knives guns are, im a big gun fan. .45 long barrel custom done kick ass colts. I plan on getting one someday, along with 2 derringers just to feel them. I am a certified Expert Marksman (Markswoman :P) by the NRA. Scoring goes as follows:

Marksman:120/200

Sharpshooter:160/200

Expert:180/200

Vash would be a 200. you get to shoot 20 rounds at a target and its loads of fun. Im specially trained in small arms handling and shooting. But yeah. GYAH! Why would you guys care about this! You just wanted the update! sweatdrop gomen ne!

Live Journal Note: I have a live journal and I try to update every day. I changed my account name, its kawaiibabe so you know who I am. Heres the link: http:www.live if your lazy, the link is in my bio. I give sneak peeks to upcoming chapters and stories and maybe some behind the scenes junk. It's a great way to interact with another author, you can leave questions and comments. Thank you to all who replied!

Disclaimer: I kidnapped Yasuhiro Nightow. He is currently, erm., tied to my wall. I am inducing laughter by means of feather torture till he agrees to make a trigun movie. But so far, he still owns them.

Ps: you might wanna read chapter 7 again to get the idea, just so you know, or actually, why not me just summarize it for you before each chapter? I would love it if more authors would do this.

**Previously on Tasting Gunpowder!**

Milly and Meryl were at the showing, and Wolfwood and a certain gunman are stuck on the top of a bus because they're cheap! So yeah....

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Vash and Wolfwood clutched the bus for dear life as it rattled on for countless iles.

(A/N yes, I spelled it right. It's a measurement in japan. Im working on the translations for Iles, Yarz, and Feels.)

Once the bus lurched to a stop so the passengers could stretch their legs, Vash and Wolfwood jumped down, then thought that was a bad idea, and out a fear of being spotted, clambered up to the luggage rack.

"What have we gotten ourselves into needle-noggin?"

"NEEDLE NOGGIN!?!? Why you stupid no good-"

The passengers heard rustling coming from on top of the bus, and a brave young boy climbed up the ladder to find two grown men beating the crap out of each other.

"HOLY COW!" he yelped. Vash and Wolfwood stopped the smackdown.

"Shhh! SHHH! Quiet!" But their attempts to silence the boy were futile.

"AH THERES TWO PEOPLE UP HERE!"

"GYAH!" Wolfwood and Vash jumped of the bus and ran with the quickness. But they didn't get more then a few feet before keeling over out of fatigue. The red faced bus driver walked over and kicked Vash.

"What in teh hell are yous doing sneakin on mah BUS!!!!! He gave Wolfwood a kick too, and snatched the dusty priest up by the collar.

"Naw you listen, and you listen gewd. I wan' all the moneys you owe me for fares, raght now!"

As Vash was catching his breath from the mans kick, he silently prayed, '_Wolfwood, don't you dare get cocky, or else there no way in hell we will get to Scythe before he gets to those girls!' SCYTHE! THAT'S IT!_

"Please mister," Vash croaked, "We need to find a man by the name of Scythe. Do you know where he is?"

"SCEETH? YOU WANNA FEEND SCEETH?"

"uh... hai...."

"Well... I guess there's no reason why I can't give a few dead mans a ride." He looked at Wolfwood one last time, and dropped his collar. Vash silently thanked Kami that nick decided not to get an attitude.

The now very dusty preacher stood up and smacked Vash over the head, anime style.

"GYAH! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!?!" Vash yelped in surprise.

"I was handling that situation JUST FINE but nOoOooo...." He turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving a very frazzled gunman behind.

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Meryl pressed her ear to the door, but to no avail. Only shouts and laughter could be discerned from the mumbling. Milly gave up on listening and slid down the door onto the mattress. She softly wept as the sound of magnets slamming up against doors started. It sounded like gunfire. There were so many. The perverts would take their names and highest bids to buy them and put them on a magnet, then put them on the door. When everyone left and the magnets were accounted for, the highest bid for each person would be logged, and the winner would be notified. (A/N kinda like a sick and twisted ebay huh?)

The magnet clanging ensued for about an hour, getting put on and being removed. Meryl and Milly hadn't heard anything on their doors yet, and they were feeling grateful. Milly sipped some leftover water from breakfast she had saved, and Meryl laid down to think.

'_How the hell did we ever end up here of all places? Those boys had to be such samaritans, but then again, they wanted to help. I just hope they show up soon, Milly will be heartbroken if she never sees that dirty no good priest again..." _

Meryl was abruptly pulled from her thoughts by a clang. It was close.

Milly was just laying there pushing a stone with her finger when she heard a clang on her door, followed by a few more. Meryl covered her ears with her hands to block out the wailing of her friend. Milly continued to howl and Meryl crawled to the back of her cell. She could do or say nothing to console her friend now. She was bought.

888 an hour later 888

Milly had exhausted herself from crying and fell asleep. Meryl stood up on her tiptoes and leaned against the door, peering out to see what was going on. Only a few men remained, talking with Scythe. Her eyes caught something new hanging on the wall, and she strained her eyes to see it. It was a whiteboard with something written on it, but she couldn't see because of the dirty peep hole glass. Meryl grabbed a rock and went to work at breaking the glass, only succeeding in scraping up the glass, making it totally impossible to see through it.

Patience was slipping from her, and she was growing angry. _'screep screep screep'_ the rock just scratched. She gave the glass a final jab and it broke through. She looked to see if anyone had noticed, and no one had. Her hours of laboring had paid off as she was able to see perfectly clear now. She turned her attentions back to the whiteboard.

A man stepped up to it and began to write on it, blocking Meryl's view. "Damn" she muttered. She slumped down and curled up on the cold, uninviting mattress. She let a few tears fall, which lead to a few more, until she was trying to keep the sobs in. Milly was going to be gone, Vash and Wolfwood were never going to find them in the slimy basement, and who knows how long she would be here. She had never, ever, heard of a person who escaped Scythe, and she never heard of him freeing anyone.

Milly silently sat up and curled in a tight ball. It was over. In a few weeks she would be in the clutches of another man, cursed to spend the rest of her days serving a master. She smacked a stone against her mattress. It provided some stress relief for her so she hit it again. And again. she pretended it was Scythes face and smacked it again. finally she got so mad she threw it hard up against the wall, and to her surprise a shower of sparks rained down on her. It gave her hope, watching the tiny fireballs float down. She entertained herself with this, throwing the rock, bashing 'Scythes' face, and trying to see if more sparks could fly.

"Milly, what in gods name are you doing?"

"Having some fun sempai." She said angrily at the wall, chucking the rock again.

'_Only Milly could make fun with a rock after hearing news like that...' _

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Meryl yawned and stretched. The fluorescent light reemed and fuzzed, casting an eerie shadow on their already hellish accommodations. Milly had fallen asleep, and everyone was quite. She guessed it was late at night. Remembering her conquest, Meryl stood up and teetered on the edge of her mattress, trying to see what was on the whiteboard. Schedulings. Names of the girls, the time and dates, and who had bought them were all written up there. The girls that weren't bought were 'loaned' out, with only one rule. They could not break their virgin barrier. The first time a date was on the list was two weeks from now.

Meryl looked down the list. She was about a quarter way through and she had already seen her name three times. She slid down the door quietly and cried. What were the odds that Vash and Wolfwood would get here in 2 weeks? They didn't have money for a steamer, and bus fares for so long would rack up in the hundreds.

Right now, She thought it was hopeless.

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ok guys sorry that sucked, I meant for it to be much longer and more powerful. Im working on it... sorry again. Review please! And check out my live journal, sneak peaks, updating heads ups, and more. Link is in my bio. To lazy to proofread. So please, please, please, review. I need the encouragement right now.


	9. Now or Never

WOW! I bet that's what you're thinking. Merry Christmas! There are some major major MAJOR plot points that need 'busting out'. Ehehe…

**Previously on Tasting Gunpowder!**

The results of the showing are posted, Milly is bought and Meryl has been loaned out several times.

Milly awoke silently, perhaps as an ode to her impending suffering. Today was the day she would be bought, exchanged like a child buying a toy with his allowance. It made her sick to her stomach, how someone could have such a disregard to a human soul and spirit. The night had been cold and long, her bra and underwear offering no protection to the chill permeating from the stone walls caging her in.

She brought her arms up to her chest to seal in what little warmth her body held when her hand brushed against a lump. Milly's eyes widened in realization of the object and the memory flooding through her.

_Flashback_

"_Big big sister! Big big sister? I finished today's lessons!" A young version of Milly held up the old flaky textbook. _

"_Well now, aren't we a fast worker!" Milly smiled at the praise given. She was 14 years old, and like the rest of her siblings, home schooled by their older siblings and sometimes their parents. The family was too large for momma and papa to afford clothes and text books for them all, so only big big brother and big big sister went to school. _

"_Big big sister, whatcha working on?" Milly inquired as she clambered up on the king size bed that the girls shared._

"_Oh, just some plans for the wedding…" Milly blinked and pointed out the colors of the flowers on the paper._

"_Are those going to be at your wedding?" _

"_I do hope so…" Milly smiled as she imagined her eldest sister walking down the aisle to join her fiancé, Adrian. _

"_I like Adrian, he's nice." Milly stated as she sat up._

"_I couldn't have found a better one!" Milly giggled at the comment, imagining her sister picking boys out of a barrel like apples. _

"_I like him because he won't hurt you." _

"_Well of course he wouldn't hurt me; he's very protective of me!" _

"_Like how you met…tell me again!" Milly pleaded as she bounced, her caramel hair following after._

"_Oh, again? Ok ok as long as you stop hopping… alright, well, I walked into the bank to open up an account for mother, and there were a few people in line, but I noticed this group of unshaven men sitting in a corner. But when one of them pulled out a gun everyone screamed. A few people fired some shots but missed, and some tried to run outside, but the others caught them. I was all backed up against the wall when…"_

"_This is my favorite part!!"_

"_I know Milly, ha, now let me continue. I was backed up against the wall when someone shoved me down to the ground. I was about to get up and put a hurtin' on him, till I noticed the smoking hole in the wall where I had just been standing. I look up and there's Adrian, Fighting them robbers of with his 22. pistol. He was out of ammo, and the guys were getting at some of those nice peoples money, but I had an idea. I reached down in my dress to my bra, and snatched up my little bullet. He was looking at me all sorts of funny ways, but I handed it to him and he shot their leader in the shoulder, just in time for the cavalry to arrive from the calls of people hearing the ruckus. Once he knew I was ok and lead free, he asked me out on a date. And who wouldn't wanna go out on a date with such a handsome man? And you know the rest…"_

"_I want to marry a handsome man and then live in a house and then I could get a thomas!"_

"_Ahah, yeah Milly, don't rush it…Wait, I have an idea! How bout we get a needle and thread and cloth and make you a little holder for a bullet in your bra! Maybe it will bring you luck in finding a husband like it did to me…"_

_End Flashback_

She looked down at the valley between her breasts, and there it was. Her sisters stitching still held true. The cloth was worn and old, they had to remove it and transfer it to a new bra several times when she grew. The bullet was one of her fathers, and parts of the shell held a rusty green tint.

Milly leaned over and whispered through the drainage hole.

"Sempai…. Sempai… You awake? Sempai?" A mumble and a coarse hello greeted her through the wall.

"Sempai, You... You… you wouldn't happen to have a gun would you?" The last sentence was said in hushes.

"What? What are you talking about?" A now fully awake Meryl peeped back at her.

"N…Nothing…" Milly sat back and thought with disbelief about her fate. Is this what was really going to happen? Would daily rape and molestation become the norm? No, not for Milly Thompson. She wouldn't go on that way. Of course she didn't have many options to choose from. She could go with the horrible man who bought her, or… or… could she really? Would she really? Suicide? There really wasn't a pleasant way to end it all. There had to be another way… there had to be.

But wait… Could it all be…no… coincidence or destiny? She could! And she knew exactly how…

I was going to end it here, but I love you too much.

Vash and Nick leaned back against the plastic cracking seats and sighed. Their journey was a long one; they had to be halfway across Gunsmoke by now. Some bus drivers wouldn't budge when they heard their 'sob stories', so they were forced to use some of their precious savings. They earned a couple hundred double dollars when buses would break down; it was a good thing they knew a lot about engines.

Wolfwood rested against his cross, trying to visualize what the place would look like, how far they would have to run, number of henchmen… ect. He gave up after awhile, frustrated with the fact that hey knew practically nothing about this creep.

Nick looked over and noticed that even Vash was looking peeved. Maybe it was the screaming baby in the front seat, or the repetitive classical music the bus driver insisted on playing, or the fake plastic leather seat he was sitting on was cracked and kept pinching his butt. Over, and over, and over, and over, and over… slowly till he reached the fine line of insanity. Probably one of those.

He glanced out the window, looking for something to take his attention from the scary fat lady whose make-up resembled a peacock, and the fact she was staring at him lustily. A cloud of dust was out in the distance, and Wolfwood peered closer. It almost looked like… yes! A vehicle!

"Tongari…" The comment pushed Vash to the limit.

"WHAT?!?!" Wolfwood shrunk back and feebly offered a finger that pointed out the window.

The van skidded to a stop near some rocks commonly found in those parts. A man jumped out of the car and walked over to the large rock and pressed something.

"STOP THE BUS!!!" The gunman shouted the plea in unison as the spooked bus driver skidded to a halt. He was about to yell at them for scaring him but it was too late. They had shoved through the doors and were already on their way out to the van. They ran up as close to the van as they dared and stopped to duck down behind some rocks. A man hopped out of the van and walked up to a boulder and knocked. A large door opened and a guard appeared.

"I'm here on business terms; I'm uh, picking up a package." The man whispered. The man was far away, but something about him tweaked Wolfwood. The guard nodded and the man got back in his van and backed himself in through the door. Making sure the guard wasn't looking, the two gunmen ran in next to the truck as the posted sentry punched in the code for the closing mechanism.

They quickly hopped into the back of the truck when they saw they were approaching another door. Another guard, more questions, and then a dreaded line.

"Mind if I have a look in back?" The man agreed, and the guard took a look inside with his flashlight.

"Just checking for explosives. Go on now." The van passed through the door and Vash and Wolfwood dropped down from their places on the ceiling.

"Who knew that actually worked? Good thing for those bars." Vash mused.

Milly sat quietly. Meryl hadn't spoken all morning to her, frankly, what could you really say to someone in that situation. Clanking was heard faintly down the halls. Another 15 minuets and the van would be there. It would be stopped many times, at each station asking different questions, gathering information, and collecting valuables to be returned to him when he leaves the last gate, assured that he hadn't stolen any women.

Milly wondered about her plan. It probably wouldn't work, and she would most likely end up killed. But if she died she wouldn't have to endure the suffering that would ensue her entire life afterwards. She would have to cling to any hope at all before losing it. Milly awoke out of her thoughtful daze as the sound of an engine was heard very close. It was there, in the vehicle exit! She had lost track of all time, and wasn't ready yet.

Scythe walked over to his desk and snatched up a clipboard. He checked a few things off, and then sat down to count the money. Milly was ready now. Little did she know, Vash and the boys were hiding in that very truck. It was backed in through a garage like door meant for vehicles, the door was open and the back doors of the van were ajar, waiting. The gunmen were waiting for the most precise moment to drop down from the ceiling and knock out the guards.

:: Wobble Wobble :: Vash's arms couldn't take much more.

"Psst, Wolfwood, Now!" The dropped down and smacked the guards in the back of the head and knocked them out successfully. Luckily for them, most of the guards were positioned to block exits, and there were only three guarding the truck. They hadn't planned for this kind of maximum security. They ran around the truck, and Vash knocked out the driver by poking a sensitive spot in the back of his head, and giving him a whack on the head for good measure.

'_Now or never, now or never, now or never…' _Was running through Milly's mind. She had her plan set. Scythe walked over to her door, and keys were turning. Meryl couldn't take it.

"Milly, I love you! Ill come back for you and save you I promise! Ill come back for you!" Meryl whispered through her tears. Milly let a tear fall as the door opened. Scythe reached in, but Milly had different plans. She had her bullet positioned against the mattress to provide leverage, and she struck a stone against the ground near it twice, sending sparks to the primer. The bullet exploded, not the way it should have though. The bullet rose and fell, penetrating Scythes leg, making him fall to his knees. The shell casing the bullet was in shattered and was sent flying, and Milly caught a few pieces in the leg and stomach.

"Get her!" Scythe shouted through his pain, but when he looked over his shoulder, his guards had disappeared or lay fallen on the floor. Scythe angrily took out his tiny revolver, aiming it at Milly's head, and shot.

Milly clamped her eyes shut at she saw the revolver. Sweet relief from the torture, it was coming. A picture of her friend and family crossed her mind, and Wolfwood's voice filled her head. A loud clang was heard, and Milly peeked through her closed eyes. There, standing there was her savior. Wolfwood's cross punisher intercepted the bullet, and it clinked to the floor, smoking. Scythe received a smack across the face with the punisher, and he fell to the ground.

Wolfwood was about to let him have it again when he heard Vash shouting.

"Wait, there's more guards coming!" The guards on break had heard the shots and shouting, and were on their way. Wolfwood snatched the keys off of Scythes belt and tossed them to Vash. He began unlocking cells as Wolfwood shot at the new guards. Milly yelped and rushed over behind Wolfwood.

"Hurry up godamit! I can't hold them off forever!!!" Vash tried to unlock the doors as the girls were trying to hide behind him. He finished unlocking them, around 15 cells, as another wave of guards showed up. Vash ran for a door. He flung it open and stopped dead. It was a maintenance closet.

"Dammit, please don't be another closet!" Vash shouted as he ran for the only other door. He flung this one open to reveal the man-passageway, and he sent the girls down it. Wolfwood stopped firing and snatched up Milly, heading for the door. Meryl stayed behind to wait for Milly, angering Vash. They took off down the hallway, until footsteps were heard from up ahead.

There only choice was to duck into one of the scattered rooms along the hallway. They slipped in as the guards met and jabbered in confusion. Milly looked around the room. Cages and bars and hooks and ropes, pictures and chains and tables where everywhere.

Meryl cringed; she had been in this room several times already. Milly turned away to stare at the door. Guards were still running passed the door, and Wolfwood was utterly pissed that this was such an unorganized rescue. When the footsteps seemed to have stopped, Vash cautiously opened the door. A quick peek and he slowly started letting the girls out, one by one, and sent them up the main hall toward a security gate that was left wide open in all the running around. When it was just Milly and Meryl left, Vash grabbed them and Wolfwood and started running up the hall.

The girls were far ahead, he could already hear them whispering and yelling at each other as they went. _'Just a little further…' _Vash thought. But the sounds of voices behind him and gunshots warned him, and he spun around, as did the rest of the four. Vash fired a few rounds, successfully hitting the henchmen's shooting hands, but once he ran out of bullets he snatched Meryl by the wrist and ran down the hallway again. Wolfwood wasn't far behind, until the sprays of bullets became more intense. Milly cried out in anguish as one struck her in the thigh, and Wolfwood slightly stumbled at the sight, but he picked her up and carried her along with them. Meryl and Wolfwood seemed to shout in unison, as each was struck, Wolfwood in the bicep, and Meryl took two in the back.

They stumbled along through the labyrinth-like corridors, stopping periodically to let Wolfwood have at the guards with his punisher. Vash pulled out his machine gun from his auto-mail arm and caught a few guards in the legs.

"Stop that you idiot! Shoot to immobilize!" Vash shouted as the group took off again. Meryl squeezed her eyes shut in pain, her vision was fuzzy and she felt blood running down her back and side. Bullets screamed past them, and the only thing moving Meryl was the fact that Vash was dragging her along.

'_Please leave me, let me die!'_ Meryl's mind cried out, her back was pulsating with such an intense pain that she thought she would die, and wanted to. They caught up to the rest of the girls, who were stumbling along ahead of them. Vash shouted directions up ahead, and they came up upon something.

"Dammit, were back where we started!" It was true; they ended up in the passageway that the truck was in, running toward it. The driver had already come-to, like the rest of the guards, leaving his truck unguarded.

Vash started loading the girls in back, and Wolfwood hopped in the driver's seat. He snatched the keys from the dashboard, and making sure everyone was loaded in back, tried the various keys. He found the right one and floored it, and the guards chasing them tossed themselves aside as the van barreled down the hall. Up ahead, some guards were trying to close the door to the outside. Wolfwood sped up and burst through the door. Vash peeked through the cargo-view window behind Wolfwood's seat as they spun around. The priest managed to get the wheel under control again, and as he was driving away, someone ran out of the hallway. It wasn't a guard, he wasn't dressed in blue. He looked familiar. Was it? Is that possible? Could it be? It was.

The owner of the van and the man who purchased Milly was none other than Chapel the Evergreen.

Dun dun duuuun. New twist. In the fine again music video for Seether, there was that guy who looked like chapel holing up a sign that said I slept with 432 women. That was my idea. MAJOR FLUFF WARNING! WAAF, FLUFF, ROMANCE, COTTON CANDY. Whatever you call it, you're going to DROWN in it.

PS: Thank you sooo much for 100 reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!

7 pages deserves a nice review, right? Please! Look, right there, it says go. So go!


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